Education in the 21st Century

SECTION I


 

UNIVERSITIES AND FURTHER EDUCATION

 

FOCUS VOCABULARY

 

graduate (from) –закончить высшее учебное заведениеgraduation paper–дипломная работа

post-graduate (student)–аспирант

~ studies – учеба в аспирантуре campus –университетский комплексcertificate –удостоверение,сертификатcouncil –совет

 

academic ~ – ученый совет course –курс(теоретический)

 

compulsory ~ – обязательный курс

optional ~ – необязательный/факультативный курс

 

to take a post-graduate ~ in – поступить/учиться в аспирантуре to design / to tailor ~ – разработать курс

 

in-service training ~ – курс повышения квалификации curriculum–программа,учебный план

 

syllabus–программа(обучения)department –кафедра,отделение

 

head of (the) ~ – заведующий кафедрой, руководитель отделения the ~ of English/the English ~ – кафедра английского языка correspondence ~ – заочное отделение

 

full time ~ – дневное отделение part time ~ – вечернее отделение

 

diploma –диплом

the ~ in higher education – диплом о высшем образовании education–образование

 

higher ~ – высшее образование, высшая школа

further (post-diploma) ~ – последипломное образование college–колледж

 

~ of higher education – колледж

~ of further education/further education college –

~ of technology/commerce/art – технологический, коммерческий, худо-жественный колледж

 

technical ~ – техникум

 

school–школа,училище,курсы


 

language ~ – языковые курсы

 

ballet ~ – хореографическое училище art ~ – художественное училище

 

vocational ~ – профессиональное техническое училище medical ~ – медучилище

 

university–университет

pedagogical (teacher-training)~ – педагогический университет polytechnical ~ – политехнический университет technological ~ – технологический университет

 

medical ~ – медицинский университет agricultural ~ – агротехнический университет

 

Oxford/Cambridge university

London university, but the University of London faculty –факультет

 

~ of arts (arts faculty) – факультет гуманитарных наук (языки, история, философия и др.)

 

~ of social sciences – факультет общественных наук

~ of education – педагогический факультет

~ of science – факультет естественных наук (биология, химия, физика и др.)

 

~ of engineering – факультет технических (прикладных) наук

~ of medicine/law – факультет медицины/права

 

~ of economics/history – экономический, исторический факультет philological faculty or faculty of arts / arts faculty – филологический факультет

field of study–область изучения

grant –стипендия,материальная поддержкаto train–обучать

 

~ smb. for a job/profession – готовить кого-либо к профессии laboratory –лаборатория,кабинет

 

biology/chemistry ~ – кабинет биологии/химии staff –штат

 

teaching/academic ~– профессорско-преподавательский состав

~ meeting – заседание кафедры

~ room – преподавательская

 

lecturer –преподаватель

 

university teacher/~ – преподаватель университета senior ~ – старший преподаватель

 

principal ~ or reader – доцент junior or assistant ~ – ассистент

 

tutor–куратор

 

in-service training of teachers–повышение квалификации преподавателей


 

The term “further education” is associated in many countries abroad with after-school education that is with college and uni-versity education. People who undertake “further education” beyond the age of 18 pay fees for their tuition as well as their living costs. In our country “further education” is associated with postgraduate studies, the level which assumes to a larger extent a lot of research work, acquiring knowledge of new methodologies and new trends. Thus in Section I we’ll start dis-cussing the university education in our country and abroad and in Section II proceed to academic degrees and postgraduate studies.

 

Education in the 21st Century

 

Many countries consider education a major vehicle of social advancement. Training of highly qualified specialists, capable of solving the most complex problems of modern society is the main priority of higher education. The ef-forts of our scientists have always been focused on the fundamental problems of humanities, natural and social sciences. Knowledge, science and culture open the prospects into the future for every person.

 

At the end of the century the system of higher and further education in Bel-arus underwent a process of great reforms. They were initiated to provide closer links between education and technological needs of industry. New goals were set to link higher education more directly to the economy, improve the quality of scientific research, provide educational and research institutions with more modern technology and new laboratory facilities. The major sig-nificance of the reforms was to move toward the democratization of university administration and the “humanitarization” of the educational process in terms of students’ individual aptitudes and needs.

 

A distinguishing feature of our universities is that they are becoming inter-nationally oriented. We have joined the European Cultural Convention which enables us to participate in all projects concerning higher and further educa-tion, academic mobility and recognition of qualification. The universities also expand their cooperation with such authoritative international organizations as UNESCO and the Council of Europe.

 

The need to make education more democratic and universal arises from the fact that our country is integrating with the European community. In this respect educators have to think of how our universities should educate their students about the rest of the world. The world in which most adult Belarusians grew to maturity no longer exists. The cold war is over. Issues such as environment, ex-


 

changes rate, and economic competition, public health, national security, poverty, population control, and human rights affect every country domestically as well as internationally. Under these circumstances attending to domestic needs requires understanding of national, cultural, and socio-economic boundaries.

 

The characteristic feature and the main trend in modern higher ad further education is not only to check students’ knowledge but develop their abilities and creative thinking. Today’s scientific and technological progress demands of the university graduates to be prepared to deepen their knowledge individu-ally and adapt themselves quickly to the changes in the branches or science or industry they have chosen as their speciality or research. In addition to offer-ing programs based on traditional academic disciplines, higher education must develop problem-focused programs of study that are more practical than theo-retical and are oriented around problems of the real world.

 

Much has already been done and is being done to transform the national system of education. A wide range of non-state schools, colleges and institutes have been introduced. There have been certain curriculum changes starting from 1992. Some higher educational establishments began changing tuition in the above-mentioned direction.

 

Of course, university education in Belarus still faces a great variety of problems, connected with implementation of new disciplines, retraining of the faculty, reorienting university policies and programs towards new goals. But if we want to prosper in the new environment of the 21st century, our universities must truly orient themselves around new goals. None of these goals will be achieved quickly and easily but the benefits of putting them in place will far exceed the efforts required.

 

1. What is the role of education in modern society? Has it changed a lot with a course of time?

2. At the turn of the century higher and further education underwent great re-forms. What are these reforms aimed at?

 

3. What are the distinguishing features and the main trends in higher and fur-ther education?

 

4. What does the need to make universities more democratic and internation-ally oriented arise from?

 

5. Why is it necessary to develop creative thinking? What are the ways of achieving this goal?

 

6. What difficulties do we face on the way of reforming the system of education?

 

7. Do you agree that reforming the system of education we shouldn’t forget our national interests and values in education? We must preserve all the achievements of the previous school not to destroy the whole system.


THE POLTAVA V. G. KOROLENKO NATIONAL PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY

The Poltava V. G. Korolenko National Pedagogical University is one of the oldest higher educational establishments in Ukraine. During the times of its existence, the University has given its diplomas to more than 60 thousand of teachers. The outstanding educators of nowadays А. Makarenko (1917) and V. Sukhomlynsky (1938) graduated from it as well as tens of famous alumni. They always were proud of their alma mater. V. Sukhomlynsky, in particular, wrote: “If my youth got back to me and I was suggested to choose any institute or university I want to study at, I would choose Poltava pedagogical again”.

The founder of the Ukrainian national pedagogics professor H. Vashchenko, ethnographer I. Schepotyev and physicist O. Pobyedonostsev, composer V. Verchovynets worked here. The unity of their scientific achievements, humanistic values and real love to the profession forms the golden heritage of the University. All the history of the University is the evidence of the outstanding role its alumni have played in the sphere of teaching and upbringing.

It is important to say that the University established in 1999 on the base of the Poltava Pedagogical Institute is only a page in the rich history of the higher educational establishment. The Poltava Teachers Institute was founded on the 1st of July 1914. That year the director of the Institute professor O. Volnin, 6 lecturers and a priest taught only 26 students. Nevertheless, those students could boast of their library, the richest one in the region.

In 1921 the Poltava Institute of People Education was founded and its 369 students got specialties at 2 departments – Natural-Mathematical and Historical-Philological. In 1930 it was given a new name – ‘The Institute of Social Upbringing’ and in 1933 – ‘The Poltava State Pedagogical Institute’.

In 1975, the widely known program “Teacher” started under the leadership of the rector, professor I. Zyazyun. The first in the former USSR Department of Pedagogical Mastership was organized to train the students according to the demands and challenges of the time. For many years, the system of professional training of the future teachers in Poltava considered to be among the best in the country. University alumni introduced the most advanced ideas and methods in their work.

In 1991 the International Association of A. Makarenko was organized at the University. At present, it unites many prominent scholars from 15 countries. They regularly visit the University to participate in scientific conferences.

Nowadays the University’s community includes more than 8,5 thousand students of day and extra-mural departments and about 400 professors and lecturers. There are 7 faculties at the University: the Faculty of Philology and Journalism, the Faculty of History, the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics, the Faculty of Natural Sciences, the Faculty of Psychology and Education, the Faculty of Technologies and Design, the Faculty of Physical Education. Among the specialities one may find the Ukrainian Language and Literature, Pre-School Education, Social Pedagogics, History, Journalism, Foreign Languages, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, Mathematics, Computer Science, Physical Training etc.

There are also 38 departments. As the training of highly qualified specialists has always been the main goal, the faculties and departments constantly revise their curricula and introduce new programmes. The stress is on student’s ability to work independently and meet employer’s requirements.

As a centre of learning, PNPU publishes a wide range of scientific literature and popular editions.

The rector (currently Habilitated Doctor of Sciences (Philology), professor M. Stepanenko) and 5 vice-rectors (The first vice-rector R. Sitarchuk, the vice-rector for research L. Kravchenko, the vice-rector for facilities maintenance O. Khan, the vice-rector for students cultural affairs N. Pavlenko) head the University. A dean heads each of the faculties.

The course of study lasts 4–6 years. Each academic year consists of two terms. Between the terms the students have vacation. The University’s campus includes three main buildings with lecture halls, classrooms and workshops, 4 halls of residence, a sport complex, and an infirmary. The museums of the University, its libraries, 2 great-halls, Botanical Gardens (founded in1927) are at the students’ disposal. The research work, practical classes, field practice are held in the Botanical Gardens. There is a greenhouse with a unique collection of plants representing different natural zones of the world there.

The students of the Poltava National Pedagogical University live busy but very interesting life. They are active participants of dozens of students’ scientific societies and clubs, sport sections etc. The University emphasizes the role of amateur art activities in organizing students’ leisure. The proud of the higher educational establishment is People’s Chorus “Kalyna”, dance groups “Spring” and “Grace”, Men Chorus “Thyme” and more than 18 others amateur groups. Various discussions, conferences, debates, round tables, evening parties, presentations, meetings with prominent people become popular among the students.

The work with local cultural establishments and regional youth organizations is set up in the University as well. Upbringing process is fundamentally united with educational process acquiring national and world culture.

Scientific and scholarly cooperation is a part of university life. PNPU has links with educational institutions and universities in Europe, the USA, Asian countries, in particular, Japan and China.

Thus, the content and technology of studies of the future teachers in the Poltava V. G. Korolenko National Pedagogical University is orientated on creative development of each personality. Nowadays, as it has done throughout its history, the University retains its role of a major centre of learning, research as well as an important cultural centre.

 

As you know the first universities were founded in the Byzan-tium in the 5th century (in Constantinopolis and Athens) and in Western Europe in the 12th and 13th centuries. Since then there appeared a number of university types all over the world.

Further on you will find some information about the University system in the English-speaking countries, Great Britain and the USA. It is intended to increase your general knowledge of the problem discussed. Read the text and define the basic features of each university type.